The invention relates to an electrosurgical pencil adapted to receive an electrode controllable by an electrical signal for performing surgical operations, comprising: a housing, a circuit, switching means adapted to be activated from outside the housing for closing the circuit, wherein the housing comprises receiving means (for receiving the electrode. The invention further relates to a kit of parts comprising an electrosurgical pencil and a method of providing an electrosurgical pencil and a kit of parts.
Electrosurgical pencils are used during operations for, for example, cutting in tissue or coagulating blood by delivering a high voltage, high- or radiofrequency current from a source of electricity to an electrode of the pencil. Depending on the waveform of the current, the pencil has a cutting or coagulating effect on the tissue. Some pencils are provided with means for evacuating smoke from the operation site as the smoke is known to contain viral DNA, bacteria, carcinogens and irritants.
Generally, electrosurgical pencils are constructed of two elongate housing parts assembled lengthwise, one of which is provided with hole for accommodating control buttons. The pencil is at the forward end provided with a bore, through which an electrode/blade projects. From the rearward end a cable extends from an aperture. The cable is connected to a printed circuit board inside the housing.
Such a pencil is known from US 2009/0062791. This pencil further comprises a switch module, comprising the printed circuit board upon which two dome switches are positioned. The buttons are located above the respective dome switches. A resilient sleeve encloses the printed circuit board and the dome switches inside the housing. The resilient sleeve acts as a gasket to prevent the escape of low pressure air from the interior of the housing at the buttons, and to prevent the smoke and other debris from contaminating the switches. A wire conducts a radio frequency electrosurgical waveform from the printed circuit board to an electrode anchor unit. The anchor unit comprises several conductive elements.
Another such pencil is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,723. Here, a resilient strip of electrically conductive metal or alloy connects the electrode and the printed circuit board. Push buttons under which a dome member and a metal disc are provided, bridges contacts to the printed circuit board when the button is pushed.
Though pencils of this kind are widely used, they suffer from a number of disadvantages, among others the large number of different parts that are used complicate the production process and the many parts clutters the limited space available in the pencil so the space cannot be used to provide an effective suction channel. Additionally, the many parts make the device larger and not particularly comfortable to work with.